On November 8, 2018 No Limits invited the JCRC to talk about the annual Spirit and Place Festival with an emphasis on events related to the Jewish community. Lindsey Mintz, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Cantor Aviva Marer, Cantor at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation and Aaron Welcher, Communications Coordinator at JCRC all spoke

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Mon, 29 Oct 2018 15:41:55 +0000http://indyjcrc.org/?p=5246Joint Statement from the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council, and the Indiana Board of Rabbis re: Fatal Terror Attack in Pittsburgh Synagogue Jewish Communities in Indiana are pained and devastated by the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, on Shabbat morning, October 27, 2018. We are [...]

]]>Joint Statement from the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council, and the Indiana Board of Rabbis re: Fatal Terror Attack in Pittsburgh Synagogue

Jewish Communities in Indiana are pained and devastated by the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, on Shabbat morning, October 27, 2018.

We are heartbroken, as we send condolences to the families and friends of those murdered in this unspeakable act of terrorism. We stand in solidarity with, and send prayers for healing to, the entire Pittsburgh Jewish community, as well as to the police officers who risked their lives to protect those in the synagogue.

Within greater Indianapolis, the Jewish community extends our gratitude to local law enforcement, who have increased presence and patrols at our synagogues and other Jewish institutions. We will continue to work closely and communicate with central Indiana law enforcement officials.

This was an act of hate targeted against Jews because they were Jews. Like all hate crimes, the attack was meant to terrorize our community and fragment us from other communities. It will not work. The Jewish community refuses to allow such expressions and acts of antisemitic hate to become normal, and we will continue to assert that respect for, and celebration of, our differences makes our society stronger.

With eleven fatalities reported, this attack represents the single deadliest act against American Jews in the history of the United States. Acts of such hatred, along with the politics of division and the rhetoric of fear and conspiracy, are direct affronts to the cherished American and Jewish values of inclusivity, respect, and pluralism, which are vital for our democracy to thrive. This moment is a painful reminder – not just for Jews, but for all people – of the dangerous consequences when antisemitism, whether in word or by deed, goes unchecked.

As a community with a long history of facing discrimination and violence, the Jewish community will always stand with those who may be singled out for any reason, and will continue to build bridges of respect and understanding among Hoosiers of all faiths, races, ethnicities, and genders. Only by standing together and declaring that antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, and other forms of bigotry have no place in our communities, will we have a chance to stop such pernicious and violent extremism.

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Wed, 17 Oct 2018 19:45:54 +0000http://indyjcrc.org/?p=5244What We Are Reading Anti-Zionism Has No Place in the Progressive Movement, Tablet, October 14 “Anti-Zionism seeks to intimidate you and silence you. It seeks to strip you of your history and culture, and decide who Jews are and what our history is. That’s wrong." US designates Hezbollah a Transnational Crime Threat, Times of Israel, October 16 “The group focusing [...]

“The group focusing on Hezbollah will include prosecutors who specialize in narcotics trafficking, terrorism and organized crime, and will also investigate anyone providing support to the organization”

“This bipartisan bill is a genuine attempt by the United States to regenerate our historic role in finding creative and imaginative pathways to secure a sustainable peace,” Reps. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb. and Nita Lowey, D-N.Y. said in a statement introducing the bill.

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Fri, 14 Sep 2018 18:30:12 +0000http://indyjcrc.org/?p=5205Thanks to our Israel & International Affairs Committee for helping compile this week's Israel In-Depth newsletter, which brings you a sampling of news articles providing a closer look at Israel – whether at home, in the world, or in relation to the U.S. Israel at Home: Israeli Sisters Double Up To Join Elite [...]

Thanks to our Israel & International Affairs Committee for helping compile this week’s Israel In-Depth newsletter, which brings you a sampling of news articles providing a closer look at Israel – whether at home, in the world, or in relation to the U.S.

]]>Indy JCRC Antisemitic Hate Crime Update #2 – Community Solidarityhttp://indyjcrc.org/indy-jcrc-antisemitic-hate-crime-update-2-community-solidarity/
Wed, 08 Aug 2018 01:23:07 +0000http://indyjcrc.org/?p=4993On Monday evening, July 30, nearly 1,200 people gathered inside Congregation Shaarey Tefillah to show support and hear messages of solidarity from 20 speakers representing the Jewish, Muslim, Black, Hindu, LGBTQ+, Sikh, and several Christian communities. In this Update #2 JCRC is sharing the video of the Community Solidarity Gathering, including "time-stamping" the speakers, and when possible, linking to their [...]

]]>On Monday evening, July 30, nearly 1,200 people gathered inside Congregation Shaarey Tefillah to show support and hear messages of solidarity from 20 speakers representing the Jewish, Muslim, Black, Hindu, LGBTQ+, Sikh, and several Christian communities.

In this Update #2 JCRC is sharing the video of the Community Solidarity Gathering, including “time-stamping” the speakers, and when possible, linking to their written remarks. THANK YOU again to our amazing community partners and friends for your swift and heartfelt support during this time!

Forthcoming Updates will:

address the Hate Crimes legislation, advocacy, and what you can do;

describe the breadth of JCRC programming that is designed to help combat antisemitism.

The Indy JCRC has added a dedicated page to our websitethat includes all the information and links contained in these Updates, along with press releases, news articles, information about Hate Crimes, and ways you can get involved.

The mission of the JCRC is to safeguard Jews here, in Israel, and around the world. We do this by protecting and promoting an American society that is just, democratic, and pluralistic. Through our “Stand Up! Speak Out!” programming, we help people (especially Jewish teens) learn how to recognize and combat antisemitism and hate in all its forms, and we help teachers learn how to teach accurately about Jews and Jewish history.

The JCRC has been advocating on behalf of the Indiana Jewish community and building relationships with all Hoosiers for over 75 years. If you’re interested in contributing to the JCRC’s Combatting Antisemitism Fund, please click here.

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Wed, 08 Aug 2018 01:22:36 +0000http://indyjcrc.org/?p=4995On Saturday afternoon, July 28, 2018, the Greater Indianapolis Jewish community was shocked and appalled when large antisemitic images and burn marks were discovered on the campus of Congregation Shaarey Tefilla, a synagogue in Carmel, Indiana. The Jewish and general communities immediately came together. With support from the Indy JCRC and the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis, Shaarey Tefilla hosted [...]

]]>On Saturday afternoon, July 28, 2018, the Greater Indianapolis Jewish community was shocked and appalled when large antisemitic images and burn marks were discovered on the campus of Congregation Shaarey Tefilla, a synagogue in Carmel, Indiana.

Well over 1,000 people from throughout Indiana gathered inside the synagogue, including elected officials at the city, state, and congressional levels, to hear from Jewish communal leaders and nearly 20 guest speakers sharing messages of support from the Muslim, Black, Hindu, LGBTQ+, Sikh, and several Christian communities.

The Indy JCRC will be distributing several updates in the forthcoming days.

Today’s Update #1 is our way of saying THANK YOU for the incredible outpouring of support! Below, we have shared letters we’ve received from our community partners, listed the Solidarity Gathering speakers, and linked to statements of elected officials and other Jewish communal organizations.

Forthcoming Updates will:

address the Hate Crimes legislation, advocacy, and what you can do;

share personal reflections from members of the Jewish community, photos, and remarks from those who spoke at the Solidarity Gathering.

Additionally, the Indy JCRC will be updating a dedicated page to our website that will include all the information and links contained in our Updates, along with all press releases and news (print, television, radio, podcast).

The mission of the JCRC is to safeguard Jews here, in Israel, and around the world. We do this by protecting and promoting an American society that is just, democratic, and pluralistic. Through our “Stand Up! Speak Out!” programming, we help people (especially Jewish teens) learn how to recognize and combat antisemitism and hate in all its forms, and we help teachers learn how to teach accurately about Jews and Jewish history. The JCRC has been advocating on behalf of the Indiana Jewish community and building relationships with all Hoosiers for over 75 years. If you’re interested in contributing to the JCRC’s Combatting Antisemitism Fund, please click here.